Erosion of steel under bombardment with ions of a deuterium plasma

The processes of sputtering of austenitic stainless steel (similar to 316SS) under long-term bombardment with ions of deuterium plasma (energy 0.1-1.5 keV) as well as effects of erosion on optical properties of steel surface are investigated. It was found that for this kind of material there is no selective etching of crystallographic defects that come out to the surface; therefore the rate of reflectance degradation decreases. Investigation of the optical properties of the surface subjected to ion bombardment requires taking into account not only the development of surface microrelief but also radiation damage created in the nearsurface laver. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.